Problem

Exporting data from SQL Server to Excel seems like a reasonably simple request. I just need to write out a few reports for users on a regular basis, nothing too fancy, the same basic report with a few different parameters. What native SQL Server options are available to do so? Do I need to learn another tool or can I use some T-SQL commands? Does SQL Server 2005 offer any new options to enhance this process?

Solution

Exporting data from SQL Server to Excel can be achieved in a variety of ways. Some of these options include Data Transformation Services (DTS), SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) and Bulk Copy (BCP). Data Transformation Services (SQL Server 2000) and SQL Server Integration Services (SQL Server 2005) offers a GUI where widgets can be dragged and dropped Each option has advantages and disadvantages, but all can do the job. It is just a matter of your comfort level with the tools and the best solution to meet the need.

Another option that is available directly via the T-SQL language is the OPENROWSET command (SQL Server 2000 and SQL Server 2005). This command can be called directly in any stored procedure, script or SQL Server Job from T-SQL. Below outlines the full syntax available:

Using the OPENROWSET command creates two caveats. The first caveat is the need to have an Excel spreadsheet serve as a template in the needed directory with the correct worksheets and columns. Without this the you would receive an error message. The second caveat is that it is necessary to enable the OPENROWSET command with the SQL Server 2005 Surface Area Configuration utility. Note - This step is not needed for SQL Server 2000. With the loop example you could copy and paste the Excel spreadsheet and load the data as needed.

Although the example above is very simple, you could integrate this simple example into your code. For example, if you had the need to write out a number of reports in the same format, you could loop (WHILE loop or Cursor) over the records and write them out to different Excel spreadsheets based on the name or report type. In addition, you could integrate this code with either SQL Server 2000 mail or Database mail (SQL Server 2005) and mail the results to the users with very little effort and build the process entirely with T-SQL.

Next Steps

Depending on how your users analyze data and the software infrastructure you have in place, Excel may be a simple and easy solution for your users to receive their data in a familiar interface for them to conduct the needed analysis. I am surprised by the sophisticated Excel infrastructure at some organizations, but these sorts of applications seem to grow organically.

The next time you are faced with exporting SQL Server data to Excel take a step back and understand the requirements then determine which of the following options best meets the need:

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I have all my tables in my data base and can loop through them with a cursor based on 'SELECT * FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES. I have my template.xslx.

I would like to either

1 - Have a different Excel File name for each file (Including a date stamp)

2 - Have a Different tab for each table that I am writing ouot (with the name of the tab being the name of the table

Starting with the exmaple posted below, how would I accomplish either (or am I stuck with having my output spreadsheet be c:\texting.xlsx. And if I am stuck with having my output spreadsheet be c:/testing.xlsx can I clean it out (equivalent of TRUNCATE TABLE) for the next time I run it. The number of tables that I have to make into a spreadsheet(s) will vary from run to run. It depends on how many clients have bad data.

On MS-SQL-Server 2016 I use R in-database to export to Excel. This is very easy when R-services are setup once. Just use TSQL and pass any table as input to an "exec sp_executeexternalscript" and let R do the job (e.g. with package foreign).

With older versions I prefer to export to csv formating everything within TSQL in a way the superintelligence of excel would eat it. Unfortunately Excel behaves different depending on language of OS and other settings within excel. So my best advice for "How to export to Excel": If possible - don't. Using import function from excel is one way to do so.

I sympothise ... I would expect an easy export function built into SSMS similar to MS Access. To that point, I use MS Access regularly linked to Sql Server just for this functionality. You select a query in MS Access (which is linked to a Sql Server) .. and simply click an Export to Excel button and "presto" all your results With Headers are now in MS Excel.

As an Excel Object Model Programmer able to connect with SQL Server Native Client to SQL Server, clients expect highly complex and custom Excel worksheets with formatting, filters, formulas included and also custom Excel formatting based on business rules.

Running Excel code with linked tables from MSAccess or MSExcel is one way to accomplish this.

How can the Excel Object Model VBA equalivant code be run from TSQL.

A view or table exported to Excel is not useful to the client. They want to see complex Excel "reports" automated from nightly batch or triggers.

Are there any tools in MSSQL to help generate more than just a table or view simple export?

Using current tools in Ms Excel (Data\From Other Sources\From SQL Server or Data\From Other Sources\From MS Query) almost give the same result, except that SQL data can be filtered before being exported inito Excel speadsheet. The export process is quite easy & there's no any issue when the number of record is not over than 65536.

Go the Data ribbon in Excel 2007, click on "From Other Sources" in the "Get External Data" area on the left side. It will ask you for the login credentials to your database. Data is dumped right into Excel, with automatic row formatting, and all those miserable blank cells you might get with a straight html copy/paste are automatically removed. Easy peasy!

OMG, I am posting this to save others hours of frustration importing MSSQL data into Excel. I'm with Rothy who posted earlier (THANK YOU!). Use Excel's data import function to do this, it is so much easier than messing around with MSSQL query code. It took me ONE MINUTE to import an MSSQL table and most of that time was spent looking up my login credentials;)

Go the Data ribbon in Excel 2007, click on "From Other Sources" in the "Get External Data" area on the left side. It will ask you for the login credentials to your database. Data is dumped right into Excel, with automatic row formatting, and all those miserable blank cells you might get with a straight html copy/paste are automatically removed. Easy peasy!

Go to Skype.com and download the latest version. I assumed that most people would have Skype but if you don't know what it is then it may not be a good option. If you want to phone me instead thenlet me know with a private message.

To change the name of a tab you merely double click on it and type the new name. As the spreadsheet can be saved and reused repeately this once-off operation probably doesn't warrant a macro.

To send the macro to someone else, edit the macro then cut-and-paste the text into an emai. The co-worker can then paste it into a new macro. Probably just easier to send the spreadsheet with the macro to the co-worker.

While Executing the following Query i got the output as follows and the excel file was not created in selected pathPlease help me Query:EXEC master..xp_cmdshell 'BCP "select * from iplan_polaris.DBO.IP_PERSON Where LEN(PE_LOGN) = 5" queryout Contacts.txt -c -T '

My Questin:1. While excuting the above qry, the Excel file was not created in selected path... What can i do now?2. Excel file was created automatically i.e.created by sql server or created by manually?3. any other alternative option is there in sql server 2005?

How do i install "'Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0'" driver on a 64bit sql server 2005 server ?

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